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L. N. JOANISE AND W C. MAcMILLAN. M. E. IOANISE. ADMINISTRATRIX or L. H 101mm. DEC'D. EMERGENCY CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. :5. 191a.

Patented Dec. 28, 1919.

E] [ii I I f g I I TORS M 6. m WW Wig/m ATTORNEY etc ' '1' FIG LOUIS N. JOANISE AND WALTER C. MACMILLAN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON; MARY E. JOANISE ADMINISTRATRIX 0F SAID LOUIS 1N. JOANISE, DECEASED.

EMERGENCY CAIt-COUPLING.

Application filed April 15, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Louis N. JOANISE and WALTER C. MACMILLAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Emergency Gar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in emergency car couplings and has for its principal object to provide an improved and novel construction for a flexible emergency coupler for cars. Another object of our de' vice is to provide an adjustable coupling for connecting the adjacent ends of wire rope. In the handling of railway freight cars it frequently happens that the train breaks in two or pulls the draw bars from one or more of the cars. In such cases it is usual to chain the adjacent cars together and proceed to the nearest station. In chaining the cars together it is difficult to get them close enough together to permit of the air holes being coupled so that the brakes may be used on the train. Applicant provides a flexible emergency coupling which will hold the cars in approximately their normal coupling position thereby permitting the air holes to be connected.

Other objects will appear as our invention is more fully explained in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 indicates a fragmentary view of the adjacent ends of cars which are shown coupled together and a fragmentary view of my improved coupling device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the elements of my locking device. Fig. 3 is a plan view of same. Fig. 4c is an enlarged end elevation of the other member of my improved coupling device. Fig. 5 is a plan view of same. Fig. 6 is a plan view of my device shown in connected position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings numerals 1 and 2 indicate box cars which are coupled together by a coupler 3 which may be any one of the usual and standard couplers employed for this purpose. My emergency coupler consits of two short lengths of wire cable 4; and 5 whlch are fastened at one of their ends to the body of the cars 1 and 2, respectively, and which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

Serial No. 228,774.

are adjustably coupled together at their other, or adj accnt ends. My coupling means includes two or more stationary clamps 6 secured to each of the cables 4 and 5 and arranged in equally spaced relationship to each other. It will be understood that all of the clamp members are of the same length and that the space between each pair of clamps is equal to the length of the clamps. Adjustable locking clamps 7 are secured one to the end of each of the cables 4: and 5 and in the same spaced relationship with respect to the clamp 6 as the clamps 6 are to each other. The clamps 6 comprise a pair of oppositely disposed plates which are tightened on the cable by means of bolts. The adjustable clamps 7 are held securely to the cable to which they are permanently fastened by similar means and engage the other cable intermediate the clamps 6 by means of a jaw 8 which is hinged to one side of the clamp itself and which may be fastened at its loose end by passing a pin through cooperating holes 9 one of which is in the clamp and the other in the jaw. In fastening the ends of the cables 1 and 5 together as shown in Fig. 6 the adjustable clamps 7 are brought into position intermediate of two of the clamps 6 or they may be so moved along that each of them will lie just beyond the last clamp 6 on the other cable. 'It will be apparent that the cooperation of the clamp members 6 and 7 will provide a secure means of joining the cables 1 and 5 together so that they will resist very heavy strains on the said cables.

While we have shown a particular form of embodiment of our invention, we are aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and we therefore desire to avoid being limited to the exact form shown and described.

I-Iaving described our invention what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described the combination of. a pair of similar cables, permanent clamps secured to the free ends of the cables in spaced relationship to each other, adjustable clamps secured adjacent the free ends of each cable and in spaced relationship to the first mentioned clamps,

whereby the last mentioned clamp may engage the other cable intermediate the first mentioned clamps.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of a pair of similar cables, an adjustable jaw clamp secured adjacent the free end of each cable, a pair of permanent clamps secured to the free end of each cable and in equal spaced relationship with each other and with the adjustable clamp, whereby the space on the cable intermediate the permanent clamps may be engaged by the adjustable clamp which is attached to the other cable.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

LOUIS N. J OANISE. WALTER C. MACMILLAN. 

